Salads Without Lettuce
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When you think of salads, what’s the first thing you think of? Probably a caesar salad or maybe a traditional Greek salad, right? While these salads are delicious, I feel that Salads Without Lettuce, while packed with flavor, are easily overlooked.
Some of my favorite salads actually skip the lettuce! Instead they use fruit, like this Citrus Avocado Salad, or pasta like this Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad, or even extra veggies like this Vegan Broccoli Salad.
Fruit Salads Without Lettuce
Adding juicy fruit to your salad is not only nutritious but also adds a delicious and fresh flavor that you wouldn’t get from a regular salad without fruit. Below are some of my favorite summer and year-round salad easy recipes.
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Quinoa Apple Salad
Perfect for bringing to work when you need something to fill you up, but it won’t give you the afternoon sugar crash! This easy high protein salad will keep you full all day!
Quinoa Apple Salad
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Watermelon Feta Salad
This salad with mint wins over a crowd of any size. If you’re looking to dress up fresh watermelon this recipe is for you!
Watermelon Feta Salad
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Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad
Low carb and gluten free, this healthy Chinese chicken salad recipe is crunchy cabbage, mandarin oranges and slivered almonds in a sesame dressing.
Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad
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Strawberry Cucumber Salad
Craving something a little sweet but also savory? This salad is perfect for you. Topped with a honey lime dressing, this crunchy salad is ideal for adding to a meal or eating on its own.
Strawberry Cucumber Salad
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Fresh Watermelon Mozzarella Salad
This is perfect to cool you down on a hot summer day. A thick watermelon slice topped with mozzarella, fresh basil, and a balsamic vinegar glaze is perfect for enjoying by the pool or an outdoor get together with friends.
Fresh Watermelon Mozzarella Salad
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Vegan Brussels Sprouts Salad
There is nothing better than a light, crunchy salad, especially when it's quick to make and full of nutritious and fresh ingredients. Perfect for making ahead or meal prepping at the beginning of the week!
Vegan Brussels Sprouts Salad
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Fresh Mango Salad with Avocado
This mango salad is filled with delicious summer ingredients that will cool you down on a hot day by the pool. With chunks of mango, avocado, crisp cucumber, and peppers topped with a tangy lime dressing, this salad is perfect for a beautiful side salad or even as a main meal.
Fresh Mango Salad with Avocado
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Ambrosia Salad
A staple for family reunions and get togethers! This delicious recipe is full of fruit, coconut, and mini marshmallows and is perfect for making ahead of time!
Ambrosia Salad
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Cauliflower Cashew Confetti Salad
This brightly colored salad is packed full of crunchy ingredients and topped with a delicious lemon shallot dressing. This salad is perfect as a side dish and adds color to your summer meal!
Cauliflower Cashew Confetti Salad
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Broccoli Crunch Salad with Apples & Almonds
Two things that make a perfect salad – light and crunchy. This Broccoli Crunch Salad with Apples and Almonds proves that theory right! With sliced apples, grated carrots, and toasted almonds, this salad is easy to make and a perfect dish for meal prepping.
Broccoli Crunch Salad with Apples & Almonds
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Pomegranate Couscous Salad
This Pomegranate Couscous Salad is light, bright, and a perfect side dish for this holiday season! This salad is easy to make ahead and will keep you full all day long!
Pomegranate Couscous Salad
Pasta or Bean Salads Without Lettuce
Adding a carb, like pasta or beans, to a salad can really change it up a bit. Whether it’s a cold salad or warm salad, here are some of my favorite pasta or bean salad recipes!
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Mediterranean Gluten Free Pasta Salad
This Mediterranean Gluten Free Pasta Salad is super easy to make and full of delicious flavors! Using fresh ingredients, this refreshing salad is perfect for lunch or as a side dish.
Mediterranean Gluten Free Pasta Salad
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Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
This Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad is s simple yet elegant main dish made with bright lemony flavors and fresh dill. Serve it at your next dinner party or pack it up for your weekly meal prep!
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
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Goat Cheese Orzo Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is great to serve for gatherings any time of year. Made with diced asparagus and creamy goat cheese, your guests will absolutely love this orzo pasta salad recipe.
Get this recipe!
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Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Refreshing and flavorful, this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is packed with deliciously salty and sour dill pickle flavor!
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
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Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is a super easy side dish that's ideal for cookouts, picnics, or even a light and flavorful meal!
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
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Creamy Bacon Blue Cheese Pasta Salad
Taking a spin on regular pasta salad, this Creamy Bacon Blue Cheese Pasta Salad is a perfect side dish for an outdoor BBQ. The best thing about this salad? It keeps getting better over time!
Creamy Bacon Blue Cheese Pasta Salad
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Crab Pasta Salad
This Crab Pasta Salad recipe gives you that luxurious taste, but at a fraction of the cost. Using only five ingredients, this will quickly become one of your favorite seafood easy pasta salad!
Crab Pasta Salad
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Italian White Bean Salad
This bean salad is packed with flavor and can be ready in under 20 minutes. This unique salad with Salsa Verde Dressing is a great lunch or side dish option!
Italian White Bean Salad
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Homemade Black Bean Salad
This Easy Homemade Black Bean Salad is full of vibrant colors and crunchy veggies! This delicious no-lettuce salad is best served at room temperature and kid approved!
Homemade Black Bean Salad
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Chicken Caprese Salad with Creamy Basil Pesto
This Chicken Caprese Salad with Creamy Basil Pesto will quickly become your go to salad for any occasion. Delicious, flavorful, and filling – grab a glass of wine and enjoy this mouthwatering salad.
Chicken Caprese Salad with Creamy Basil Pesto
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Kidney Bean Salad
This vegan, protein-packed Kidney Bean Salad is perfect for an on-the-go lunch. Full of bright and fun flavors, this healthy salad will keep you full all day but without the afternoon crash.
Kidney Bean Salad
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Thai Chicken Veggie Noodle Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing
This Thai Chicken Veggie Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce is perfect for when you want a healthy salad but without lettuce. With creamy peanut sauce, crunchy veggies, and noodles, this low-calorie chicken salad is great for on the go or even a fresh dinner idea.
Thai Chicken Veggie Noodle Salad
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Easy Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
Easy Chickpea “Chicken” Salad is packed full of flavor and is completely vegan. Healthy, gluten-free, and packed full of protein, this chickpea salad will keep you full of energy all day!
Easy Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
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Cold Spaghetti Salad
This Cold Spaghetti Pasta is a quick and colorful salad that works well for lunch, dinner, or even to feed large groups! This salad is perfect for a hot summer day with fresh vegetables and topped with a light Italian dressing.
Cold Spaghetti Salad
Other Delicious Salads
There are so many delicious salads that do not include lettuce. So, here is a collection of some more of my favorite no-lettuce salads that will keep you full all day.
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Cranberry Bacon Broccoli Salad
Featuring fresh broccoli, bacon, and cranberries, this salad is the perfect year-round dish for any family gathering!
Cranberry Bacon Broccoli Salad
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Fall Harvest Salad With Champagne Apple Cider Vinaigrette
One of the best things about Fall? The delicious flavors that come with it! Enjoy this Harvest Salad full of fall veggies topped with a champagne apple cider vinaigrette.
Fall Harvest Salad
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Tomato Panzanella Salad
Take a trip to Tuscany this summer with a fresh and juicy Tomato Panzanella Salad (bread salad) featuring fresh mint and a homemade basil vinaigrette.
Tomato Panzanella Salad
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Zucchini Salad
This is a refreshing summer salad made with fresh zucchini, yellow squash, sweet corn, fresh herbs, marinated red onions, and mozzarella. It’s ready in under 30 minutes!
Zucchini Salad
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Avocado Corn Salad
This is the perfect bright summer salad loaded with grilled corn, creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, all tied together with a creamy dressing.
Avocado Corn Salad
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Cucumber and Radish Salad
The most refreshing spring salad! Filled with cool Persian cucumbers, crisp radishes, and a fresh and tangy dressing, this simple salad adds the perfect crunch to any meal!
Cucumber and Radish Salad
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Summer Corn Salad
Full of fresh veggies and topped with a homemade basil vinaigrette, this simple Summer Corn Salad will quickly become your go-to for those hot summer days.
Summer Corn Salad
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Chicken Salad With Pineapple
This Chicken Salad With Pineapple is delightfully refreshing, combining bright and refreshing flavors like pineapple, cilantro, and dijon mustard. It’s great by itself or with croissant sandwiches.
Chicken Salad With Pineapple
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Greek Salad with Feta and Fresh Herbs
This Greek Salad with Feta and Fresh Herbs is full of crunchy and fresh veggies, minus the lettuce! Topped with an easy olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic dressing, this fresh salad will become a go to quick go to.
Greek Salad with Feta and Fresh Herbs
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Kani Salad
This Japanese-style Kani Salad is made with cucumbers, carrots, and shredded crab sticks. Topped with a creamy mayo dressing, this seafood, no lettuce salad is a great starter salad for potlucks or BBQs!
Kani Salad
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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
This quick Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is a definite crowd pleaser! With crisp veggies and a creamy dressing, this brussels sprouts based simple salad is a great side dish for grilled chicken or salmon!
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
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Burrata Caprese Salad
This Burrata Caprese Salad is a spin on one of your favorite summer salads with fresh tomatoes. With a few simple ingredients, you won’t get enough of this Italian-inspired side salad.
Burrata Caprese Salad
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Golden Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
This Golden Beet Salad is unique, vibrant, and a favorite that you can enjoy any time of year. Roasted golden beets, tangy goat cheese, and fresh tarragon, this healthy salad is a great appetizer for a date night!
Golden Beet Salad
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Pumpkin And Beetroot Salad
This vegan Pumpkin and Beetroot salad is vibrant, crunchy, and great for a side dish or served as a main course. Full of flavor and topped with mustard lemon vinaigrette, this recipe will show you that you don’t need lettuce to make the perfect filling salad.
Pumpkin And Beetroot Salad
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Raw Cauliflower Salad
This cauliflower salad with lime is a flavorful and nutritious salad recipe. Perfect for any event, the nice crunch of the cauliflower florets topped with the tangy citrus flavor of lime, you’ll want to make this easy salad every chance you get!
Raw Cauliflower Salad
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Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad
This non-lettuce salad is full of flavor and ready in 20 minutes. This Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad is topped with a zesty lime making this five-ingredient recipe the perfect summer side salad.
Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad
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Tuna Asparagus Salad with Microgreens
This is a great work lunch go to that keeps you full all day but won’t give you that afternoon crash. This Tuna Asparagus Salad with Microgreens is packed full of crunchy veggies, tuna and topped with a tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing.
Tuna Asparagus Salad with Microgreens
There you have it! So go ahead, leave that lettuce behind and indulge in any of these delicious salads without lettuce! And don’t forget to include the perfect dressing. Some of my favorites include Jalapeño Ranch Dressing, Honey Balsamic Dressing, and Homemade Herb Ranch Dressing.
Enjoy!
